Ray tracing is a popular seismic data processing method for approximating wave propagation for small wavelengths, or, equivalently, high frequencies. Furthermore, ray tracing results are still valid when medium parameters and the wavefields are smooth on the scale-length of the width of the Fresnel volume. In some instances, conventional ray-tracing validity conditions can break down in the vicinity of an interface when there is high contrast between the two sides of the interface and/or when the interface has a complex structure. One example of this concern is with respect to velocity models that include salt with rugose boundaries that are used in Kirchhoff prestack depth migration. In practice, model smoothing in one of its various forms can be used to stabilize geometric ray results.
Alternatively, finite-difference methods propagate band-limited waves, without requiring smoothness constraints on the medium parameters. But they are computationally demanding.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods and computing systems that can employ more effective and accurate methods for data processing of collected data that corresponds to a sub-surface region, including techniques that allow capturing a band-limited wave propagation property of finite-difference methods by employing frequency-dependent ray-tracing.